Maghreb Media Roundup (January 5)

[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Maghreb and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Maghreb Page Editors or ofJadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup tomaghreb@jadaliyya.comby Thursday night of every week]

السعداني: عقليةبوتفليقةسليمة: National Liberation Front (FLN) leader reassures Algerians that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s health and mental capabilities are intact after rumours of his visit to another hospital in France.

The Case for a New Federalism in Libya Karim Mezran and Mohamed El-Jarh look at the pro and cons of a federalist state in Libya given the country’s sharp regional cleavages and fears of marginalization in the eastern region.

The attempt to silence Libya’s activist generation Activists have become targets in Libya’s political and military conflict, forcing many to flee the country. Those remaining in the country push for disarmament, peaceful dialogue, and a strong police force to ensure security.

Mauritania

Mauritania: Migrant dreams of Europe Aljazeera English shows how Mauritania, a long-time transit country for sub-Saharan African migrants attempting to reach Northern Africa and eventually Europe, is becoming a destination for migrants as the country tightens its borders.

اللغةالعربيةودرسالسفيرYoussef Belal, writing for Al-Massae, discusses the effects of the “new colonialism” in forcing the use of French language in official political, economic, and cultural affairs in Morocco.

"Moroccan Wikileaks" rattles Rabat The Moroccan government is concerned about the hundreds of diplomatic cables released by an anonymous hacker over the past two months. The content of some of those cables includes internal and international communications regarding the Western Sahara and Sahrawi independence.

Morocco hunts for gas deals Morocco is looking to buy liquefied natural gas from Qatar, Russia, or the United States as part of an effort to expand its energy system to include more diverse power sources.

Ben Ali présent à l’aéroport de Tunis Youssef Boussoumah, a well-known militant of the Palestinian cause, was refused entry into Tunisia on 20 December based on policies from the Ben Ali era that continue to be enforced

Foreign fighters flow to Syria An infographic shows where foreign fighters in Syria are coming from. Roughly 5,000 fighters have entered Syria from the North African countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.

تونستودعالمرحلةالانتقاليةوتعودللبورقيبية Omar Shabi discusses political events in Tunisia in 2014, including the end of the "transitional phase" and the election of a new president, as well as the role of Islamists in the advancement of democratization.

لقاءخاص: الناشطةالحقوقيةالصحراويةأميناتوحيدرAn extended interview with Sahrawi rights activist Aminatou Haidar in which she discusses, among other things, her hope for Sahrawi independence as well as potential meetings with the United States and the United Nations.